The tension in the air was palpable.
For days, I'd felt it growing, like a storm building just beyond the horizon. And now, standing at the edge of the Academy grounds with Kara and Dalen, that sense of impending doom pressed down on us, heavy and unrelenting.
It was evening, and the sky had turned a deep crimson, as though reflecting the blood that was about to be shed. The Order of the Veil was making moves, subtle but undeniable. We had heard whispers around the Academy, rumors of disappearances, of strange figures lurking in the shadows. Whatever they were planning, it was about to unfold, and I had the sinking feeling that I was at the heart of it all.
"Do you feel it too?" Kara asked, her voice barely a whisper as we stood beneath the towering oak tree that marked the edge of the training grounds.
I nodded, keeping my gaze fixed on the horizon. "Yeah. Something's coming. Something big."
Dalen, ever the pragmatist, adjusted his glasses and crossed his arms. "We can't just sit around waiting for them to make their move. If they're after Eryx, we need to be proactive. We need to know what they want."
I let out a slow breath, my mind racing. The Order had been after me since the beginning, ever since I'd been marked by the prophecy. But the truth was, I still didn't fully understand why. The Veiled Sovereign, the ritual—it all felt like fragments of a puzzle I couldn't quite piece together.
"Maybe we need to stop looking for answers here," I said, turning to face them. "We need to get out of the Academy. We need to find someone who can tell us what we're up against."
Kara frowned. "You think leaving the Academy is a good idea? It's the only place where we're safe."
"We're not safe," I said, my voice firm. "Not anymore. The Order knows I'm here, and they'll come for me eventually. If we want to survive, we need to understand what we're fighting."
Dalen sighed but nodded. "He's right. We've been playing defense for too long. It's time we took control of the situation."
Kara hesitated, her brow furrowed in concern. I knew she didn't like the idea of leaving the Academy—this place had been her home for as long as she could remember. But she also knew that staying here wasn't an option.
"All right," she said finally, her voice low. "But where do we even start? The Order's secrets aren't exactly easy to find."
I thought for a moment, my mind drifting back to the ancient texts I'd been studying. There had been one name that kept cropping up in connection to the Veiled Sovereign—a sorcerer who had once been part of the Order, but who had left under mysterious circumstances. His name was Malchior, and according to the records, he was the last person to have witnessed the Sovereign's ritual.
"I have an idea," I said slowly. "There's someone we need to find. A sorcerer named Malchior. He might have the answers we need."
Dalen raised an eyebrow. "Malchior? I've heard of him. He's a recluse, isn't he? Lives out in the Wastes."
I nodded. "He was once part of the Order, but he left before the ritual was completed. If anyone knows what the Veiled Sovereign is planning, it's him."
Kara glanced between us, clearly uneasy. "The Wastes are dangerous, Eryx. It's a death sentence to go out there without proper protection."
"We don't have a choice," I said, meeting her gaze. "If we stay here, we'll be sitting ducks. At least out there, we have a chance."
There was a long pause as Kara considered my words. Finally, she nodded. "All right. If we're going to do this, we'll need to prepare. We'll need supplies, weapons, and a plan."
Dalen looked thoughtful. "We should leave at dawn. Less chance of being seen."
I agreed, though a part of me knew that sneaking out of the Academy wouldn't be easy. The professors would be watching, especially after the recent attacks. But we had to try.
The rest of the evening was spent in preparation. We gathered what supplies we could—food, water, spell scrolls, and weapons. Dalen managed to get his hands on a map of the Wastes, though it was old and worn, with large portions missing or smudged beyond recognition. Still, it was better than nothing.
As night fell, I found myself alone in the library, staring at the pages of the ancient texts I had been studying for weeks. There were still so many unanswered questions. Who was the Veiled Sovereign, really? What was the purpose of the ritual? And why was I so deeply connected to it?
A soft rustling of pages broke my thoughts. I looked up to see Professor Lyra standing in the doorway, her expression unreadable.
"You're leaving," she said, though it wasn't a question.
I didn't deny it. "We have to. The Order is closing in, and we need answers."
Lyra walked over to the table, her eyes scanning the open books before settling on me. "I won't try to stop you, Eryx. But I will say this—be careful. The Wastes are more dangerous than you realize. And Malchior… he's not the man he used to be."
I frowned. "You know him?"
She nodded, her eyes distant. "We were… colleagues, once. A long time ago."
"Why did he leave the Order?" I asked, hoping she would shed some light on the mystery.
Lyra hesitated, then spoke in a low voice. "Malchior was a brilliant sorcerer, but he was… unstable. The power he sought—it consumed him. He became obsessed with the Veiled Sovereign, with the idea of controlling magic itself. When the Order realized what he was trying to do, they cast him out."
"And now he lives in the Wastes," I muttered, more to myself than to her.
"Yes," Lyra said softly. "But be careful, Eryx. Malchior's mind is fractured. He may have the answers you seek, but there's a price for knowledge like that."
I met her gaze, feeling the weight of her words. "I understand."
She placed a hand on my shoulder, her grip firm. "Good luck. And remember—no matter how dark things seem, there's always a way forward."
I nodded, though her words did little to ease the unease gnawing at my chest.
The next morning, just before dawn, Kara, Dalen, and I slipped out of the Academy's gates. The city was still asleep, the streets empty and quiet. We moved quickly, staying to the shadows, avoiding the patrols.
As we reached the outskirts of the city, I glanced back at the Academy one last time. It felt strange, leaving the place that had been my home for so long. But I knew this was the only way.
The Wastes stretched out before us, vast and desolate. The air was thick with dust, and the sky overhead was a dull, sickly gray.
"Ready?" Kara asked, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.
I nodded, gripping the hilt of my sword tightly. "Let's go."
As we set off into the unknown, a sense of foreboding settled over me. This was only the beginning. The path ahead was dangerous, and the shadows of the Order loomed ever closer.
But for the first time in a long time, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we would find the answers we needed.
And maybe, we would finally be able to stop the Veiled Sovereign before it was too late.